Was BLM not enough?

[Ankhira]

RDM's instant casts are far more rigid and RDM has the fewest tools out of all the casters for on-demand movement.

RDM optimization also involved minimizing fleche and C6 drift which was not always trivial because you needed to make sure your instants lined up on the correct GCDs.

And yet, that is all still there. The only thing you can do is use your melee combo from a distance, while I said before I also don't like this change, these optimizations are still there. Like, I got the Black Mage issues, I disagree with SE changing RDM this patch, but I feel like you're all acting like the job is completely ruined.. I genuinely don't get it.

Yes, I agreed, gutting jobs for raiding = bad, I hate it too, but RDM was not destroyed the way BLM was. Like...

[ForteNightshade]

People who are still hoping 8.0 will bring positive job changes need to wake up.

Not the worst changes in the world like it could have completely ruined the job, to me its more like what they did with ninja recently it's not the worst thing in the world but it's certainly a small step in the large amount of steps they've been making from SHB to now to make the jobs bland, remove all rigidness from any job that has it because 1 raider complained it was bad.

That's the thing though. It isn't one raider complaining. Apparently, Red Mage going into melee range has been a particular vocal criticism from JP. As was Black Mage prior to its changes and Gunbreaker too. The more average JP opinion seems to be encouraging job simplification. Heck, their solution to Warrior being so overpowered in dungeons wasn't to nerf Bloodwhetting, but bring the other tanks in line with Bloodwhetting because "that makes it easier on newer healers."

Even amongst the more casual pockets of my NA friends, these changes are a lot better received than some here might expect. Which is unfortunate to say the least because I, too, don't like how they've dumbed everything down in the name of "accessibility." Like it not though, some of these changes have worked. Black Mage, for example, is more popular now than it ever was. And SE seems to gauge job design based on popularity rather than niche enjoyment.

[Voidmage]

That's the thing though. It isn't one raider complaining. Apparently, Red Mage going into melee range has been a particular vocal criticism from JP. As was Black Mage prior to its changes and Gunbreaker too.

Japan side was very vocal against the BLM changes though, even more than we were.
The job change notes back then and the comment from YoshiP also outright said that the changes were because the devs themselves thought the BLM design would clash with the new fight design.

The japanese forum is partly responsible for the current healer design but definitely not for the BLM changes.
It is widely hated there and they are as ignored regarding that as we are.

BLM also might be more popular nowadays but at the cost of very unsatisfied old BLM mains.
Part of that is also simply because of it's damage to easy playstyle. When the former falls off it might have the same fate as SMN in loosing popularity fast.
Also in my personal opinion, purely chasing popularity at the cost of driving away old veterans and job mains is a very questionable strategy because word of mouth is also important and that is that the jobs in this game are in a very bad place.

[Aidorouge]

There are people who mained a job for longer than some here even play the game.
Telling them to suck it up and play another one because it's now for someone else is not how a game should be designed.

And no, this is not regarding the RDM changes but in general.

Well, sorry to say that "go play something else then" has become the default answer to anyone with any complaint ever when it comes to FF14. We've had people actively encouraging others to "shut up and quit" for over a year now (if not longer), whether they were someone getting bored over easier jobs, frustrated over harder fights, or lords knows what else was their final straw.

You're just not going to find much empathy or understanding between players anymore because everyone wants the game to be THEIR way regardless of who else gets culled in the process.